We pick up the rental car and have to navigate our way out of Boston airport. A lot of quick turns. We get on I-90 and then exit immediately. Cross two bridges to get to I-93.
Drive 4.5 hours, 224 miles, to Shelving Rock Falls trailhead.
Fortunately, we are leaving Boston Logan on a Tuesday morning and returning on a Wednesday morning.
Our route did not take us through Sumner Tunnel anyway because it is a toll.
At Shelving Rock it is important to park in an official parking lot instead on the roadside. But since it will be a Tuesday, I think we will find parking, though the Adirondacks rates this 1 star for "solitude", meaning it is quite popular. Some of the parking lots are big enough for only a couple of cars. We have several options here. We could do a hike to the summit of Shelving Rock Mtn, or we can walk along the shore of Lake George and see the Shelving Rock Waterfall. Or, if time and energy permit, we can do both. We cannot check in to the AirBnB before 4 PM From the distances shown on the All Trails map, it is about a mile and half from Parking Lot #6 to walk down to the shore of Lake George and then walk along before turning around. We could even walk to the end, and the walk back to the car on Shelving Rock Road. All Trails says it is 5.4 miles out and back, with 3 hours average hiking time. Note the advice to go a bit beyond and below the summit to get the best views, as shown on their map. Enjoy this 5.40 mile, out and back trail near Fort Ann, New York. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 53 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking. This is a moderate hiking trail on the eastern side of Lake George, about 15 miles from Lake George. The beginning portion of this hike can be difficult. There are a lot of rocks to scramble over in this section. After returning back to the parking lot, continue along the road to find the trailhead for the Shelving Rock Summit. Overall, it is a very gentle climb to the top. Make sure that you continue further from the summit to see the gorgeous lake view. An even better view awaits you if you go down toward the right and reach the western ledge (descend about 150' below the summit by walking about 100 yards). This is the best viewing spot. Please note that the last road access on the Hog Town Road and the Shelving Rock Road is unpaved and slightly bumpy. Depending upon the car you drive, you will need to be careful. Shelving Rock is a long 3.4-mile to a small peak overlooking Lake George in the Town of Fort Ann in Washington County. The trail is on public Forest Preserve in the Lake George Wild Forest Area. Shelving Rock provides a great view of the Narrows and the south basin of Lake George. The trailhead is on Shelving Rock Road, several miles beyond Sly Pond Road or Hogtown Road, which both lead to the start of Shelving Rock. There are multiple parking areas leading up to the trailhead, which begins in the fourth parking area on the right side of the road. This is a popular hike and the parking lots fill up early. Shelving Rock Road often fills up end to end with vehicles, so beware that it’s possible that you could end up parking far from the trailhead. The trail to Shelving Rock begins from the back of the parking area, leading past the trail register and a barrier before heading back into the woods. The trail is very well maintained and easy to follow. The first section is flat, and the trail is wide and well maintained. There are very few roots or rocks to trip over and walking is very easy. After 0.2 miles, the trail reaches an intersection. To the right, a trail leads towards Dacy Clearing and the hike to Sleeping Beauty, while the Shelving Rock trail is to the left. After this junction, the trail remains mostly flat before beginning to climb upwards along a series of switchbacks. The switchbacks keep the trail from ever being particularly steep, so the difficulty remains low to moderate for the entire hike. The trail continues up switchbacks for most of a mile before reaching a second junction. Here, Shelving Rock is to the left option, while the trail branching to the right leads to Black Mountain four miles to the north. From here, the summit is only 0.6 miles away. The Summit of Shelving Rock The trail winds up a few more switchbacks and then around a part of the summit, passing by a few side trails with slight views of Lake George through the trees, and a couple of campfire spots, before reaching the summit. There is not much of a view from the true summit but the trail continues to a clearing with a much better view, especially from high vantage points on the large, exposed boulders. The return trip is easy due to the gentle and well-maintained trail. Overall, the hike is moderate, with only 1,000 feet of elevation that is spread out over a gentle trail with very few hazards. This hike is appropriate for all ages and ability levels. Drive 1.5 hours, 84 miles AirBnB in Elizabethtown
We can stop at the Tops Market on our way to the AirBnb. I think that the AirBnB is probably the wing on the left side of this house.
Shelving Rock Mtn (All Trails description)
Hike Shelving Rock (Protect Adirondacks description)
